ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
WESTERN CANADA
FREERIDE ROOTS
Jeff Holden, Regional Director
Western Canada Freeride founder and Regional Director Jeff Holden was at the World Extreme Freesking Qualifiers in Girdwood Alaska the year IFSA was born, 1996. Jeff had the opportunity to film, travel and compete on tour with IFSA founder Shane McConkey, the same year Jeff was crowned 1999 IFSA World Tour Champion.
Holden began building Independent Freesking events in Western Canada in 2000. The mission, to help bring the Freeride community together to celebrate big mountain culture while educating about the importance of physical and mental boundaries. Freeride Roots run deep in Western Canada as the first ever official Junior event on the planet was held at Red Mountain in 2005. The independent Canadian grass roots series grew to include 7 resorts & 334 athletes over 8 years prior to IFSA Sanction in 2013.
Holden officially founded WCF with the support of Western Canada stakeholders in 2018 to help manage the demand for competitive Freeride events in the region. Rapid growth of the sport has created the need for increased organization, administrative support, vision and advocacy to ensure sustainability. In 2025 IFSA / WCF will have the pleasure of serving over 1000 stakeholders across 20 events in Western Canada.
Vision
Western Canada Freeride is committed to fostering safety, consistency and integrity by maintaining the highest - level of event standards, while celebrating big mountain community culture. Travel to new places, ride new lines, make new friends, learn about yourself and you win. Freeride Keep the Vibe High!
FREERIDE TOUR
The FWT Pro is a worldwide circuit of freeride snowboarding and skiing. It features the best riders competing on legendary and challenging alpine faces at renowned ski resorts across the globe.
THE FREERIDE WORLD
CHALLENGER (FWC)
The FWT Challenger is the ultimate step towards qualifying for the FWT Pro circuit. The top riders from the FWT Qualifier compete against the bottom-ranked riders from the FWT tour in high-pressure events to earn a spot on the following year's FWT Pro circuit.
THE FWT QUALIFIER
The world qualification circuit aims to develop emerging athletes by offering 60 events held around the world (including forty in Europe). Points are earned based on event star ratings (ranging from 1 to 4 stars) and geographical regions: Region 1 (comprising Europe, Asia, and Oceania) and Region 2 (encompassing the USA, Canada, Chile, and Argentina).
INTERNATIONAL FREESKIERS & SNOWBOARDERS ASSOCIATION (IFSA)
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THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR (FWT)
The IFSA Junior Series circuit is titled Region 2 globally and is designed for athletes aged up to 18, with a focus on nurturing future talent, promoting diverse youth involvement in the sport, and emphasizing safety, injury prevention, and mountain environment awareness. Athletes transition from the IFSA junior level to the Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ) when they turn 19. Athletes who are 18 can choose to compete either as an IFSA Junior or an FWQ adult and must declare their choice. When an IFSA junior becomes 18, their IFSA Junior Series results are automatically converted into points on the FWQ Global Seeding List. This provides juniors with a ranking on the FWQ Global Seeding List and registration priority for easier registration at 3* and 4* level FWQ events.The IFSA Adult Series supports FWT Qualifier events for adults and collegiate series adults who can ultimately build their seeding into the FWT.